The Dodgers designated Trevor Bauer for assignment on Friday, and his statement in response raised more questions than it answered.
The Dodgers officially designated Trevor Bauer for assignment on Friday, which gives them seven days to either trade him or put him on unconditional release waivers. The move doesn’t come as a surprise, but it is still a bit of a shock to the system now that it has happened.
Bauer released the following statement after the news came down:
“While we were unable to communicate throughout the administrative leave and arbitration process. my representatives spoke to Dodgers leadership immediately following the arbitration decision.
“Following two weeks of conversations around my return to the organization, I sat down with Dodgers leadership in Arizona yesterday who told me that they wanted me to return and pitch for the team this year.
“While I am disappointed by the organization’s decision today, I appreciate the wealth of support I’ve received from the Dodgers clubhouse. I wish the players all the best and look forward to competing elsewhere.”
I’m trying to give this statement the benefit of the doubt, but it’s hard to reconcile “Dodgers leadership” telling him yesterday they wanted him back and then the team cutting ties with him today. Was there more to the conversation yesterday, where they wanted him back under specific parameters that he was unwilling to agree to (like, say, accepting responsibility for his suspension)? Was the “Dodgers leadership” he met with different from the decision-makers who cut ties with him? Or is there more to his statement than meets the eye?
Like everything with Trevor Bauer, even his being cut from the team is shrouded in confusion, mystery, and mixed messages. Should we have expected otherwise?
